High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes are rapidly gaining acceptance as an effective means to manage congestion in urban areas. However, realization of the benefits of HOT lanes, as well as the integrity of the HOT concept, depends directly on sound enforcement practices. With fully automated enforcement not expected to materialize in the short to mid-term future, manual enforcement is unavoidable. Unfortunately, manual enforcement activities have been known to cause rubbernecking, and induce congestion. This paper describes the development of a simulation-based methodology to evaluate and quantify the effect of manual enforcement on HOT facility operations. A case study is presented which explores the impact of enforcement on different levels of Low Occupancy Vehicle (LOV) demands. The case study serves as a proof-of-concept for the developed methodology. When applied, this methodology can provide decision makers with significant information, helping them modify toll structure (and hence managing LOV demand), and select appropriate strategies and options for HOT enforcement.
Abstract